After skating for 3 ½ years, sophomore Oscar Camacho shares videos of himself skating off buildings and other tricks. Camacho was called by companies, 20x Straps and Vision Clothing, two months ago and was asked if he wanted to be sponsored. He said yes.

Camacho is not the only student who has been sponsored. Senior Kris Aqui used to be sponsored by Slant Six from sixth to ninth grade before the shop closed down due to the lack of shoppers.

“[Being sponsored] was awesome,” Aqui said. “I mean free clothes, free shoes. I never had to worry about buying any of my stuff, and I got money for doing what I love.”

With the sponsorships, both Aqui and Camacho attended different skating competitions.

“It was kind of laid back. We were just skating around,” Aqui said. “When we got to skate competitions, [we] were not being really competitive to win, we were just out there having fun.”

However the experience that Camacho had at competitions was different from Aqui’s experience.

“It was pretty fun; it was nerve -racking,” Camacho said. “It’s not more nervous but more of like you’re excited to the point where you are nervous.”

Even now Aqui receives money from time to time from past events.

“I ended up winning first place at the one in Kansas two years ago, but I think it was just a bunch of cash prizes like little stuff here and there,” Aqui said.

While being sponsored doesn’t affect Camacho’s school life, it had a negative effect on Aqui’s school life at the beginning of his career.

“Basically I’m in eight grade, and I could see myself making a living off of it,” Aqui said. “It was kind of like, ‘What’s the point of going to school?’”

When Aqui hops on a board, it’s time for him to say goodbye to the outside world while Camacho thinks something else.

“I don’t like people telling me what to do,” Camacho said.

Being sponsored has impacted Aqui and Camacho. Both learned that it’s not about the money; it’s more about the love of the sport.

“Basically you just got a team behind you, and you’ve got a group of guys that you all represent one brand or one shop,” Aqui said. “You just make sure you always represent well for that shop or team.”